RegmedXB: Osteoarthritis Moonshot

Osteoarthritis Moonshot

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a form of joint degeneration that causes continuous pain and restriction of movement in 40 million Europeans. In the Netherlands, 1.26 million people have osteoarthritis in one or more joints and the expenditure in 2017 on care for osteoarthritis amounted to EUR 1.2 billion. (1.4% of the total healthcare costs in the Netherlands). It is the fastest-growing cause of disability worldwide. Once damaged, the degradation of the joint surface, especially the cartilage and underlying bone, continues to deteriorate. This is also accompanied by damage to other tissues, such as the meniscus and the mucous membranes in the joints. In the majority of cases, this is a non-reversible process.

Unfortunately, clinical intervention is not always successful and usually only has a temporary effect. As a result, a large number of patients will receive a total joint replacement prosthesis. Implantation of, for example, a total knee or hip prosthesis is usually successful, with pain being adequately controlled. Unfortunately, such a prosthesis needs to be replaced after an average of 15-20 years. In addition to the onset of osteoarthritis of the knee at a young age and the increase in life expectancy and activity of the elderly, the number of prostheses that need to be replaced is increasing explosively. This is a complex and expensive procedure, which is much less successful than the first procedure. For this reason, it is desirable to postpone as long as possible the moment when the first prosthesis is placed and to strive for "biological" solutions.

More information 

Read more information here.